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Brexit 'a failure and a tragedy', says EU boss Jean-Claude Juncker

EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker has said Brexit is "a failure and a tragedy" but insisted he was not in "a hostile mood" to the UK.

The European Commission President also confirmed Britain faced a divorce bill of around £50bn, but stressed this was not a "punishment" for leaving, but to settle commitments previously made.

He also promised Brussels will approach the withdrawal talks in a "friendly" and fair way, but warned the EU was not "naive".

He was speaking to the BBC ahead of Theresa May formally starting the formal Article 50 departure process next Wednesday, 29 March.

Pressed over the reported cost of leaving, put at around £50bn (€58bn), Mr Juncker said: "It is around that, but that is not the main story.

"We have to calculate scientifically what the British commitments were and then the bill has to be paid."

:: Your guide to Brexit jargon

This would cover the cost of projects which the UK previously agreed to help fund, as well as pensions of EU officials who served during the period of Britain's membership.

Mr Juncker said: "It will be a bill reflecting former commitments by the British Government and by the British Parliament.

"There will be no sanctions, no punishment, nothing of that kind, but Britain has to know - and I suppose that the Government does know it - that they have to honour the commitments and the former commitments."

On Brexit, Mr Juncker said: "It is a failure and a tragedy."

But he added: "I am anything but in a hostile mood when it comes to Britain. We will negotiate in a friendly way, a fair way, and we are not naive."

:: What happens when Article 50 is triggered?

Mr Juncker said he was "strongly committed" to protecting the status of the three million EU nationals resident in the UK and the one million Britons living in other member states.

He added: "This is not about bargaining, this is about respecting human dignity.

"We are not in a hostile mood when it comes to Britain, because I do think and I do want to have with Britain over the next decades a friendly relationship."

Mr Juncker also stressed he did not want other EU nations to follow Britain in leaving, warning that would threaten "the end" for the EU project.

"I don't want others to take the same avenue," he said. "Let's suppose for one second that others will leave - two, three, four or five. That would be the end."